Pigment-spraying mechanism for button-stenciling machines.



Patented July 22, 1902.

J. uonmsm PIGMENT SPRA'Y'ING MECHANISM FUR BUTTON STENClLING MACHINES.

(Application filed Apr. 17, 1902.)

(No Model.)

Patented July 22, I902. J. uonmsv.

PIGMENT SPBAYING MECHANISM FOR BUTTON STENBILING MACHINES.

(Application filed Apr. 17, 1902.)

6 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

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Patented July 22, B902.

No. 705,086. J. HURM BY.

PIGMENT SPRAYING MECHANISM FOR BUTTON STENGILING MACHINES.

(Application filed Apr. 17, 1902.)

6 Sheeis-Sheet 3 (N0 Modal.)

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No. 705,086. Patented July 22, |9o"2.

. J. HORMBY.

PIGMENT SPRAYING MECHANISM FOR BUTTON STENCILING MACHINES.

. (Application filed Apr. 17, 1902. (No Model.) 6:8heets-Sheet 4L,

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No. 705,086. 'Paiented July 22, I902.

.. a. HORMBY.

PIGMENT SPBAYING MECHANISM FOR BUTTON STENCILING MACHINES.

(Application filed Apr. 17, 1902.)

6 Sheets-Sheet 5.

(No Model.)

No. 705,086. Patented July 22, I902.

J. HURMBY.

PIGMENT SPRAYING MECHANISM FOR BUTTON STENCILING MACHINES.

(Application filgd Apr. 17 1902.) (No Model.) 6$he ts-Sheet B.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFI E.

JOHN HORMBY, OF IVOONSOCKET, RHODE ISLAND.

PlGMENT-SPRAYING MECHANISM FOR BUTTON-SIENCILING MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 705,086, dated July 22, 1902.

Application filed April 17, 1902. Serial No. 103,416. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN HORMBY, a citize of the United States, residing at Woonsocket, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pigment-Spraying Mechanisms for Buttou-Stenciling Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the painting or coloring of buttons by means of pigments or colors applied thereto by means of stencils.

Of even date herewith I have executed an application, Serial No. 103,414, for a patent for the general arrangement. and combination of parts of a machine for applying colors or pigments to buttons by means of stencils upon the frameand general motive mechanism, of which many varieties and arrangements of specific mechanisms for executing the subsidiary functions might be used.

It is the object of this invention to provide improved mechanisms for applying the pigments or colors through the stencils upon the buttons.

The devices and combinations of devices herein described and claimed are adapted for use upon and with the general'mechanism described and claimed in my application aforesaid. The present mechanisms and combinations are equally well adapted for use for such machines in general, it being only necessary that the general mechanisms act in substantially the same manner.

With the before-mentioned object in View my present invention consists, generally speaking, in the improved combination, arrangement, and construction of parts hereinafter fully described, and afterward specifically claimed.

My invention further and more specifically speaking may be said to consist in the improved construction and arrangement of the mechanisms for containing and dispensing the pigments or colors.

In the accompanyingdrawings, which illustrate this invention,Figure 1 is a top plan view of the machine with the pigment-reservoirs removed. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view on the plane of lines 2 2 of Figs. 1, 4, and 5. Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view on the plane of the line 3 3 of Fig. 4 looking toward the left, as indicated by the arrow. Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view on the plane of line 4 4 of Figs. 2 and 3 looking downward. Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view on the plane of line 5 5 of Fig. 2 looking downward. Figs. 6 to 13, inclusive, are detail views, of which Fig. 6 is a top plan view, and Fig. 7 a view in side elevation, of a stencil-carrier detached from the machine and having a stencil therein. Fig. 8 shows a trio of stencils and a button stenciled in a combination design thereby. Fig. 9 is a view in elevation of one of the stencil-carrier guides and trippers. Fig. 10 is a view of the means for dropping the stencils in the carriers into a cleansing-bath. Fig. 11 is a sectional view of the air-chamber of the spraying mechanism. Fig. 12 is a fragmentary plan view of the means for oscillating the pigment carrier or reservoir; and Fig. 13 is a vertical sectional view of the sprayer and reservoir for pigment, color, shellac, 850.

Like reference characters indicate the same parts Wherever they occur in the several figures of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings by reference characters, A indicates the frame of the machine, which may be made of any appropriate form and any desired material to properly support the various operating parts, cast-iron being usually the preferred material for such structu res. In this frame are suitable vertical bearings for four principal shafts a, b, c, and d, each of which has a suitable ball step-bearin g, as shown especially in Fig. 2. These shafts are geared together in a manner to cause them to move in unison, preferably by means of gear-wheels a, b, c, and d, although other suitable means to this end might be used.

B indicates the horizontal main shaft driven to rotate continuously from any suitable source of power-as, for instance, a belt leading from a driven shaft to abelt-pulley B, Fig. 4, said shaft B having suitably secured upon it a cam O, by means of which a pawl-lever D, pivoted at one end, as at D, to the frame of the machine and provided with a roller at its opposite end bearing upon said cam, is caused to oscillate on its pivot, the roller befin g held yieldingly in contact with the face of'the cam by a spring D secured to the frame. Pivoted to the lever D is a pawl D which engages a ratchet-wheel D on the shaft to and during the oscillation of lever D imparts an intermittent rotation to said shaft CL and through the medium of gear-wheels a b c d to the shafts b, c, and d also.

a c and 61 indicate similar notched I disks secured, respectively, to the shafts a, I),

c, and d, a b 0 and d being locking-levers pivoted on eccentric adjustable stub-shafts or studs mounted in the frame and carrying rollers a b 0 and d adapted to engage in the notches of said disks and normally but yieldingly held against the disks by springs a b c d said springs connecting the free ends of said levers to a bar E,passing freely through a swiveled block b upon the free end of lever b and pivotally connected at its end to the pawl-lever D. The eccentric pivots of levers a t c d permit of their exact adjustment with relation to the notches in the disks, and once set they need no further adjustment.

Findicates an elbow-handle lever pivoted to the frame suitably held and limited in its movement by a spring-latch F and pins F F, secured in the frame. This lever F has pivoted to one of its arms a rod F which passes loosely through a block Fiswiveled in the pawl D said block being between springs F on said rod, whereby the pawl is yieldingly held on the rod and may be engaged with or disengaged from the ratchet-wheel D, whereby the intermittent rotation of the shafts a,.

b, c, and 01 may be controlled by manipulating the hand-lever F without stopping the main shaft B of the machine. By the means described the shafts 0t, 1), c, and d are given an intermittent rotation, and the momentum is minimized by a friction-strap G, encircling a brake-wheel G on shaft on and secured to a bracket G on the frame.

H indicates the button-carrier in the form of a disk of sheet metal secured by screws or otherwise upon a hub H, mounted upon the shaft a above the upper plate A of the frame A. The disk is provided near its periphery with regularly-spaced circular button seats or openings, as at h, slotted out to the periphery, and that portion of the disk which contains these button-seats rests upon an annular ring 2', resting upon an annular flange or rest I, rising from plate A, (see Fig. 2,) said ring and annular rest being omitted in part immediately underneath the point marked 17. in Fig. 1 to permit the buttons to automatically drop out of their seats after they have been colored into any suitable chute or other receptacle.

J, K, and L indicate the hubs of the stencil-carriers,secured, respectively, upon shafts b, c, and d and provided with radial peripheral openings regularly spaced and in num her and position corresponding with the button-seats in the button-carrier. Into each of these radial openings is secured a plug, as at J K L, in the outer end of each of which is pivoted on a horizontal pin an arm, as at J K L and best shown in Figs. 2, 6, and 7. To each of said arms is secured, as

at J K L each such disk being a holder of a stencil-plate, as at J K L, Figs. 6, 7, and 8, the holder being centrally cut away to expose the stencil-plate, said thin sheet-metal arm being provided with an opening to fit over a pin 2' and is slipped into position in the groove in arm K and held therein by spring 2' in a manner to permit of its ready removal when desired to change it for a holder for stencil-plates for diiferent sizes of buttons. The several stencil-plates being slotted or cut to form a suitable single design or combination design, according as one or more sets are used, it being understood that there may be only one or any number of stencil-carriers and that the design maybe colored on the button by the use of a single carrier or any series of carriers, the number of series depending upon the combination to be made. These stencil-carriers are so placed with relation to the button-carrier that in their intermittent rotation with their shafts a holder of each stencil-carrier when at rest will be immediately above a button-seat (see Figs. 1 and 2) and below a pigment or varnish-supply, as hereinafter described. As the stencil-holders rotate they rest upon suitably-arranged bars, as atj, 7c, and l,during the whole of their rotatory movement, these bars being curved downward and again upward for a portion of their extent, beginning at the points where the holders move off the button-carrier to permit the holders to drop by gravity into and pass through suitable cleansing solutions contained in tanks j 7r Z. After the holders are lifted out of the solutions, they pass along over these bars j 70 l, (see Figs. 1 and 9,) which hold them above the level of the button-carrier until they reach their positions of rest over the button-seats, when they drop into notches, as as atj Fig. 9, and fall low enough to rest on the button in the carrier. The notches j at their exit edges are beveled off, as at it Fig. 9, and this assists the rise of the holders out of the notches; but the raising is principally effected by pins, as at Z Fig. 7, in arms J K L which at this moment pass over rollers 3' journaled in the upper ends of fixed pillars k Figs. 2 and 9. After the holders are raised out of the baths they pass over hot-air sprays or jets, as at k in Fig. 10, and are quickly dried, these jets being supplied with hot air under pressure from any suitable source through pipes 3' 70 1*. The bath is boiling when the stencil passes through.

Loosely journaled on shaft a above the button-carrier is the carrier M for as many reservoirs of liquid pigment or color as there are series of stencil-holders, one of such reservoirs being indicated at M, Fig. 13, and said reservoirs being removably held in clamps m n o of the carrier M by suitable clampscrews, Fig. 1. These pigment-reservoirs do not rotate with the button-carriers and stencil-carriers; but each reservoir contains a pigment for use with a particular series of stencils and is maintained practically in position over the button when covered by a stencil of that series. It is desirable, however, that the pigment-reservoir shall not be over the buttons when the stencils are in position thereon, and provision is made for oscillating the pigment-carrier slightly forward when the stencils are taking their working positions and back again to pass the reservoirs over the stencils while in such position by mechanism now to be described.

P, Figs. 1, 4:, and 12, indicates a vertical rock-shaft suitably journaled in the frame of the machine and having a radial arm P, secured at its upper end and provided with a slot P embracing a pin P secured to the pigment-carrier. At its lower end the shaft Pcarries another radial arm 19, Figs. 4 and 12, which is provided at its outer end with a pivoted latch 19', actuated by a spring 13 to normally throw its outer end downward into position to cause it to engage over a catch-block 79 secured 011 the underside of pawl-lever D. When the pawl-lever is actuating the several carriers, as before described, it carries the latch pand arm 3 with it and rocks shaft Pa short distance forward, thus causing arm p to move the pigmentcarrier in the same direction and carry each pigment-reservoir a slight distance beyond its stencil and button. When the button is seated, the latch 19 comes in contact with a trip-pin 13 secured to the frame, which disengages the latch from catchblock 19 and permits a spring pito draw arm 9 back, thus giving a reverse movement to the pigment-carrier and carrying the pigment-reservoirs back over the stencils resting above the buttons. It is during this reverse movement that pigment is sprayed through the stencil-plates, it being desirable that the first matter sprayed should not strike the button, but that the spray be allowed to work slightly, so as to properly atomize the material before reaehing the position directly over the button. This reverse movement is governed by a piston in an air-cylinder Q, the piston-rod Q being pivoted to arm 13, the cylinder being secured to the frame to slightly oscillate and having an adjustable air-escape valve Q The latch 19 may be released by moving handle-lever F when desired, a rod q,pivoted to the handledever and held by a spring q against a pin g being properly placed for. this purpose. WVhen the pigment-reservoirs are during their reverse movement passing over the stencils and buttons, a charge of pigment is sprayed upon and through the openings of each stencil and upon its button, as before described, by a current of air which is allowed to escape, so as to be inoperative at all other times. The mechanism forthis purpose is best shown in Figs. 3, 1.1, and 13, in which R indicates an air-chamber, into which air is forced by pipe R from any suitable source of air under pressure. R is a normally-closed spring escape-valve,-R the plug thereof,which carries a roller R" at its outer end. A flexible pipe S leads from the air-chamber to pipe S of each of thepigment-reservoirs, as M, Fig. 13, and as long as valve R is closed a current of air is caused to pass into the reservoir and a spray of pigment to issue from nozzle T, which in working position is passing back over the stencil in position on the button. U, Fig. 3, indicates a circular camdisk on shaft 0, having as many raising-cams it as there are button-seats. The air-chamber R is supported, as by a bracket V, immediately over this cam-disk, and when the nozzle T is in position passing back over the stencil at rest upon a button the roller R isin a notch between two raising-camsu, the valve is closed, and pigment is sprayed from the nozzle. At all other times the roller rests on one of the raising-cams,and the valve is open, thus permitting the air to escape from the chamber and cutting off the spray from the nozzle. An independent air cut-01f might be used on each reservoir instead of the single cut-off in the main pipe and'might be preferred on account of the great loss of pressure when it is necessarily strong enough to run three or more sprayers or atomizers.

For producing various efiects upon the button the stencil L in Fig. 8 is used first for applying a spray of shellac or other similar substances to protect the white of the ivory buttons colors which may be afterward applied through other stencils. The stencil J may be for a thickened slate stain and K for a light brown, so that where the lines made with these two stencils cross each. other squares of dark seal are produced, as shown at W, Fig. 8. When the buttons are cleaned off in an alcohol or alkaline bath, the white effect of stencil Z" is very plain in \V, the

surplus color in the alkaline bath having a tendency to give these parts a slate or cream tinge and not apure white, as under the shellac or other varnish.

All of the parts of the machine are timed to cause the different operations to be performed at the proper time, so that a button fed into the carrier either by hand or by any suitable feeding mechanism will be consecutively stenciled by one stencil of each series, so that, for instance, as shown in Fig. 8, it will be colored in stripes crossing itin one direction then with stripes of the same or a different color crossing it at angles to those first made and when desired striped in another direction with shellac or other varnish by anotherstencil finally appearing, as shown at WV in said figure.

As before stated, a single stencil or any number of series of stencils may be used, and by simply changing the stencil-plates in the carriers any desired design or combination of designs may be stenciled upon the button and different carriers used for difierent-sized buttons.

By the operation of the described mechanism a stencil of every series used is simultaneously in working position over one of the series of buttons in the carrier, and as many buttons are stenciled with one pattern as there are series of stencils used, the spraying from the whole number of pigmentreservoirs being simultaneously done, the stencils resting slightly off the buttons to prevent blurring of previous coloring. After each use of a stencil it is automatically cleaned before it comes into use again, thus keeping the sten cils clean and assuring clean-cut work without clogging or gumming the mechanism. After a button is finished and after a stencil is cleansed any suitable means might be used to dry either or both, if thought desirable or necessary.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. The combination with a button-carrier and a stencil-carrier, and means for rotating them intermittently in unison to bring the stencils above the buttons, of a pigmentreservoir, a carrier above the bu tton-carrier supporting said reservoir, and mechanism where by the pigment-reservoir carrier is oscillated during each movement and rest of the button-carrier.

2. The combination with a vertical shaft, a button-carrier secured thereto, and a pigment-carrier loosely journaled on the shaft above the button-carrier, of a vertical rockshaft, a radial arm thereon engaging the pigment-carrier at its outer end, means for intermittently rotating the button-carrier shaft, and means for giving the rock-shaft and arm one complete oscillation during each movement of the button-carrier shaft.

3. The combination with a button-carrier, stencil-carrier, and means for bringing a stencil in the stencil-carrier in position above a button in the button-carrier, of a pigmentreservoir above the stencil-carrier, means for moving it beyond the button before the stencil is positioned and into position over the stencil when at rest, and means for projecting pigment through the stencil upon the button.

4. The combination with a button-carrier, a plurality of stencil-carriers, and means for positioning a stencil of each stencil-carrier over a button in the button-carrier, of a pig ment-reservoir carrier above the button-carrier, means for moving the pigment-reservoirs beyond the button-seats before the stencils are positioned over them and back into position over the stencils when positioned over the button-seats, and means for simultaneously projecting pigment from all the reservoirs through the respective stencils upon the buttons.

5. The combination in a stenciling-machine of a pigment-reservoir in the form of an atomizer or sprayer, an inlet for an air-current thereto, intermittentlymoving stencil and button carriers, and means for cutting ofi the air-current while the carriers are in motion.

6. The combination in a stenciling-machine of a shaft, means for intermittently rotating it, a stencil-carrier on the shaft, a spraying pigment reservoir above the carrier, and means for bringing the sprayer into action when the stencil-carrier is at rest.

7. The combination in a stenciling-machine of a shaft, means for intermittently rotating it, a stencil-carrier on the shaft, a spraying pigment-reservoir above the carrier, an airconduit leading to the reservoir, a normally closed escape-valve in said conduit, and a cam on the carrier-shaft timed to open said valve and permit the air to escape while the carrier is in motion.

Witness my hand, this 31st day of March, 1902, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN HORMBY.

Witnesses:

EDWIN J. PERIN, J r., RALPH F. BUNKER. 

